Douglas County Sheriff’s Office Amateur Radio Emergency Services (ARES) volunteers will be participating this Saturday, November 2, 2013, in a Simulated Emergency Test (SET). Each year, Oregon ARES volunteers, in cooperation with local emergency organizations and Oregon Emergency Management (OEM), conducts two Simulated Emergency Tests; a spring SET in April and a fall SET in October/November. Over the past few years, SET scenarios themes have been related to tsunamis, earthquakes, windstorms, floods and downed aircraft. This Saturday’s simulated emergency is titled "Hack Attack" and is based on a significant disruption of power, internet and phones.

The objective of this SET is to train volunteer emergency radio communicators in equipment operations, ARES operations management and message handling under extreme conditions.

As of Wednesday October 30, 2013 there are 4 states participating with 17 Oregon counties including some 30 Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs) and 25 medical/hospital facilities. In Douglas County the following agencies are participating: Douglas County Sheriff’s Office ARES, Mercy Medical Center, Douglas County Health and Social Services, Roseburg VA Medical Center, Lower Umpqua Hospital, City of Roseburg’s Public Safety Center EOC, Roseburg Red Cross Office, and the Western Douglas County Operations Center in Reedsport.

The media is invited to observe the activity that will be taking place at the Sheriff’s Office Emergency Operations Center, located in the Sheriff’s Office, Justice Building, Roseburg. ARES volunteers will also provide a tour of the Sheriff’s Office Mobile Command & Communications Unit. The exercise will start 9 AM and will be concluded by early afternoon. For more information call (54)440-4448 before Saturday or 541-440-4442 on Saturday.